Ex-AGF Malami slams APC for endorsing Tinubu’s second term

Former Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami, has criticised the All Progressives Congress, APC, for prioritising President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid over addressing pressing national issues such as insecurity and economic hardship.

Malami expressed his concerns during a political consultative meeting organised by the National Political Consultative Group (North) on Sunday in Abuja.

The event was attended by several opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former Rivers Governor Chibuike Amaechi.

Malami said the policies of the Tinubu administration are crippling the economy, particularly in northern Nigeria. He described the recent APC national summit as a missed opportunity to tackle Nigeria’s worsening socio-economic conditions.

“Just a few days ago, the ruling party held its national summit and instead of addressing the serious issues of insecurity, economic hardship and rising poverty, it chose to focus on politics, endorsing President Bola Tinubu as the sole candidate for the 2027 election that is still two years away,” he said.

The APC May 22 summit in Abuja saw the Progressive Governors Forum, PGF, declare support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition, a move that has stirred criticism within and outside the party.

Malami, who served as AGF from 2015 to 2023 under the Buhari-led APC administration, is among a growing number of party members from the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, bloc voicing dissatisfaction with the current direction of the party.

A communique issued at the end of the meeting, and signed by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal, called for northern unity in future political decisions and urged the formation of a political platform to safeguard the region’s interests.

The communique also decried what it described as the impunity of elected officials who endorse themselves or others for political positions without consulting their constituents. It called for sanctions on such officials to deter future occurrences.